Rev Esp Cardiol
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Out of hospital sudden death constitutes a major sanitary problem. Early diagnosis and treatment are considered as the most important factors related with short term prognosis. However, there is little information about the outcome of patients admitted to the hospital after a successful recovery from an episode of sudden death outside the hospital. The objective of this study was to analyze the prognosis of patients who initially recovered after an episode of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and who were admitted to the coronary or intensive care unit. ⋯ Up to 30% of the patients admitted after an episode of extrahospital cardiac arrest were discharged alive and without severe neurological damage. Advanced age, functional class IV and the delay of cardiopulmonary resuscitation are related to a unfavorable outcome.